Bay hits 3-run homer in Red Sox triumph

CLEVELAND – Jason Bay hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 3-1 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday for their 11th straight victory.

Bay fell behind 0-1 before hitting a fastball from Kerry Wood (0-1) into the left-field seats as Boston extended its longest winning streak since 2006.

Bay’s third hit sent the Red Sox to another drama-filled win. They were coming off an emotional three-game sweep at Fenway Park over the rival New York Yankees, a series that began with Bay connecting for a two-run, two-out homer in the ninth off Mariano Rivera.

In his last four games, Bay has nine hits with two homers and nine RBIs.

At Detroit, Justin Verlander had a season-high nine strikeouts and Magglio Ordonez hit a two-run homer off CC Sabathia to lead Detroit over New York, 4-2.

The Central Division-leading Tigers have won three straight, matching a season high.

New York has lost a season-high four in a row, equaling the most consecutive losses it had last season.

Verlander (1-2) pitched seven-plus scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and no walks and resembled the rising star he was in his first two seasons, not the pitcher who struggled last year and in his first four starts this season. (AP)